


Who Did This To You?

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Series: Lis Writes Merlin [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Prince Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23658694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: Prompt: a short story request where Arthur gets overprotective with Merlin
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon if you want
Series: Lis Writes Merlin [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643812
Comments: 7
Kudos: 250





	Who Did This To You?

The knight shoves Merlin down the stairs roughly, causing the servant to drop the tray full of Arthur’s breakfast. Merlin has just enough time to cast a spell to soften the blow on his head before he slams into the hard ground. 

Merlin lifts himself up to his forearms with a groan. His entire torso aches, he must have broken or at least bruised something important. Merlin carefully picks himself up and looks around. The knight is gone and Arthur’s breakfast is scattered all over the floor. 

Merlin wills himself not to cry. It’s been a rough week, days of helping the nights train in the pouring rain, staying up to the early hours of the morning to clean Arthur’s armor, and now this knight decided to shove him down the stairs because he was walking too slow. How could this day get any worse?

Well... He did just ruin Arthur’s breakfast and he has no choice but to go upstairs and tell him. Merlin sighs, wincing slightly at the pain it brings. He takes the steps carefully, trying not to put too much strain on himself. With each step, his left ankle begins to throb. That’s not good. 

When Merlin walks into Arthur’s room, the prince is already awake, sitting up in bed. “Took you long enough, I thought you might have gotten lost-” Arthur cuts himself off, looking at Merlin. “What happened to you?” 

Merlin shakes his head, “I-I dropped your breakfast on the way up.” 

Arthur frowns, getting out of bed to stand in front of Merlin, “Is that all that happened?” Merlin nods. “I don’t believe you. You have blood on your cheek.” 

Merlin quickly reaches up and finds, that yes, Arthur is correct. He must have cut his cheek on one of the steps, “It’s nothing.” 

It’s clear Arthur doesn’t believe him, the prince gently cradles Merlin’s cheek in his hand, “Are you hurt anywhere else?” Merlin doesn’t think he’s ever heard Arthur so soft. 

Merlin nods, “My chest and my ankle.” 

Arthur frowns and puts an arm around the servant’s shoulders, guiding him to sit on the bed, “Here, sit for a moment while I run to get Gaius.” 

“That’s really not necessary-”

“I insist.” The way Arthur looks at Merlin is so loving that Merlin is forced to look away. 

After Gaius comes, wraps up his ankle and confirms that his ribs are only bruised, he leaves the two boys alone. Arthur gently lowers himself to sit beside Merlin on the bed. 

“Who did this to you?” Unlike earlier, Arthur is all business, his voice deep and protective. 

“Arthur-”

“Who?” 

Merlin sighs, “A knight, I don’t know his name. I think he’s new.”

Arthur squeezes Merlin’s hand, “He’s not going to hurt you ever again.” Arthur stands to leave, presumably to kill that knight, but Merlin’s hand on his wrist stops him. Arthur looks back and finds Merlin’s face, usually covered with a goofy smile, distraught and tired. 

“Will you stay here?” Merlin asks. 

Arthur nods and sits back down. He leans against the ornate headboard and pulls Merlin against his shoulder, “Of course I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make my day!
> 
> Send me some more prompts like this in the comments or to my tumblr: @romeoandjulietyouwish


End file.
